Chapter 39 Trap

“Someone’s all out of breath. Did ya get out of shape during our honeymoon babe?”
“Watch it Dick!”

He chuckles.

“I’m just saying you’re sure panting a lot.”

She growls out and ankle sweeps him. He swiftly twirls his feet around knocking her down along with him. Bella rolls over him and pins down his wrists. Dick wraps his legs around her and reverses the pin.

“Ready to tap out yet.”

“I don’t tap out!”

“Then this is going to be a very long day.”
“Dammit Dick!”

He laughs and squeezes her even tighter. Bella grits her teeth she brings back her elbow right into his sternum. Dick groans out, having the wind knocked out of him. She hops up and grabs her fighting stick. She goes to get in a jab. Dick quickly dodges as he rolls out of the way. She continues to try. He grins however as he made his way to a hidden stick he had. Her jaw dropped as he suddenly blocked her move.

“What the hell?!”

Dick gives her a wink as they continue their jabs at one another. He uses the wall to maneuver himself back up. They circle one another. Bella twirls her stick around she spins her entire body around and swings the stick out. He knocks it out of her hand with his own stick. He then uses his stick to press her up again the wall.
“That’s 3 and 1 now.”

“Dammit!”

“You’re getting faster, but face it babe I’m much faster and stronger!”
“Way to be humble.”

Dick grins.

“I’m very humble.”

“Sure you are.”

Dick brings down his stick. Bella starts to walk away.

“I didn’t dismiss you yet…”

She shrugs and he places a hand upon her shoulder. Bruce had just entered the room at this point to see how she was progressing.

Bella rapidly reached back and grabbed Dick’s arm as his hand was on her shoulder. She came down and braced herself as she managed to flip him over on the mat. Bella straddled him down and reached over grabbing her stick. He held it to his throat.

“Make that 2 and 2! Or should I say checkmate.”
“That doesn’t count.”
“The hell it doesn’t I just caught you off guard!”

“Nah we were done. I won.”
“Don’t let him fool you… You got him fair and square.”

They both turn to see Bruce leaning against the wall, with his hands folded about his chest.

“What would you know old man?” Dick said with a snide grin.

“I know I just witnessed Bells shamefully putting you in your place. You’re letting Robin out too much and getting cocky.”

Bruce makes his way over and offers Bella a hand. He sits her down on one of the weight benches. Bruce hands her a towel and bottle of water. She grins seeing that look on his face. He gives her a simple nod and takes the fighting stick from her hand.

Just as Dick comes up Bruce swipes him back down with the stick.

“Oh I see how it is.”

Dick quickly summersaults back and hops up with his own stick. Bella giggles to herself as she watches the two circling one another and eyeing each other. She sips from her water and wipes the sweat from her face.

Dick comes sailing right for Bruce. The two block each other’s moves repeatedly. Bella raised her brows. She couldn’t get over how much they fought just alike. It’s like they could read each other’s every move. Neither was truly getting a hit in. Both were precise and cautious of the other.

However, Bruce finally managed to get Dick cornered against a wall. He took his hit and Dick dodged. Bruce swiftly jabbed again and he barely missed. Dick grinned and shrugged.

“Missed me…”

Bruce nodded in return. Dick jarred out his stick in attempt to shove Bruce back. However, Bruce knew what his next move would be. So he had his stick angled a differently way than that of Dick’s. Dick’s eyes widened as he flung the stick out from his hand with his own and it went flying across the room. Bella covered her mouth in surprise. Dick instantly wrapped his arms around Bruce and rushed him into the rock climbing area they had. Bruce was slammed back. They then went into this incredible martial arts showdown. Bella watched both men in awe. Nevertheless Bruce proved he was still the best. It ended with him tumbling back with Dick and he used both his legs to send him soaring. Dick gasped back as he slammed into the wall. He choked back a bit as he caught his breath. He gave Bruce a thumbs up.

“Ok old man I guess you still got it.”

Bruce chuckles.

“And don’t you ever forget that son.”

Dick grins at his comment as Bruce merely walks right on out of the room as if nothing happened.
Bella softly giggled to herself. Dick cocked a brow at this.

“Yeah, yeah laugh it up.”

Bella tossed him a towel over. He was covered in sweat.

“You ok there Dick you’re panting a bit?”

He rolls his eyes, but was laughing.

“Hmm, let’s hit the shower.”

Bella comes to her feet and Dick rolls up his towel as he follows her out. He pops her on the butt with it. Dick shuts the door behind them once they enter the room. Bella was already stripping down on the way to the bathroom. She dumped her clothes in the hamper and stepped into the shower. Dick stripped down and joined her. They both soaped down and rinsed off.

Before they stepped out Bella wrapped her arms around him. They both held each other for a moment.

Once they get downstairs, Bruce nods towards them heading towards the cave entrance.

“Suit up there seems to be some sort of riot at Arkham.”

Bella freezes at Bruce’s words.

“Arkham?” She questions softly.

Bruce nods. Bella quickly helps herself to the console. Dick and Bruce cut one another a look. Dick could already see it in Bruce’s face.

“Son of a bitch!” Bella snapped seeing that fucking Edward Cullen wasn’t in his cell.

She looked to no one she hurriedly suited up and got ready.

“I’ll take the car…”

Batman however, pushes a certain switch. There were two black bikes. Nightwing grinned ear to ear. Batman nodded towards Harley.

“I figured you’d want one to call your own.” Batman gruffly utters.

Harley smiled and made her way over to the bike. She ran her hands along it. It had her spades on the tank the blue outlined in red.

“Awesome…”

Nightwing chuckled.

“Race you there?” He rhetorically questioned as he hopped on his bike.

Harley nods and revs up her engine as Batman opens the exit. Nightwing nods towards her as they both speed off. Batman follows behind.

“When did you learn to ride a chopper?” Catwoman questioned.

Harley half laughs.
“There’s a lot about me you don’t quite know.”

“Hmmm… I think you’ve been hanging around the dark knight too much.”

“Is that such a bad thing now?”

Catwoman laughs.

“I suppose within time we shall see.”

Nightwing whizzes by cutting through an alleyway.

“Show off.” Harley mouths.

A look of determination came about her face.

“Hold on Cat.”

Catwoman wraps her arms around Harley’s waist.

“Left!” Catwoman tilts that way.

Harley maneuvers through the traffic.

“Left again.” They both lean that way and Harley barely breezes through a yellow light.

She cuts Nightwing off as he came from a different direction. She blows him a kiss and passes right by. He shakes his head.

Once they pull up to the asylum. The three of them looked upon one another. They could hear the riot from where they were. Batman parked directly beside them. The four of them broke through the gates of Arkham Asylum. It wasn’t until they stepped inside they realized the sheer amount of hell that was about. Guards lay dead and a few inmates as well. Guns could be heard firing off from all directions. Damn near every prisoner had been released and was attempting to escape.

Harley looked up in memory of the vents that lead towards Joker’s old cell. Catwoman nodded.
“Go for it Kitten. Just watch your back.”

Harley nodded. Nightwing sighed once he saw what the girls had agreed on.

“I think we should stick together!” He yells over the noise.

“Aw, worried about little ole me?!”

“I know what you’re up to and you’re not going alone!”

“Then give me a boost Blue Jay!”

Batman and Catwoman cover Nightwing and Harley as he lifts her up towards the vent. After she’s in she helps him up as well. From there Nightwing follows Harley towards Joker’s old cell. When she comes to the area she slides open the vent and carefully looks around first. Harley drops down once she see’s the coast is clear. Nightwing jumps down as well. They both look around. Harley grabbles herself to the top of the cell. She’d seen where he’d managed to escape. She runs her fingers along the area.

Nightwing heard some sort of rotating mechanical sound coming from behind him. He looked back and saw a camera and it was directed right at Harley. He knew that should be impossible. All live footage had gone down just before they left the cave. Nightwing went to warn Harley that he thought this was a trap. The ceiling directly above her came caving in after a loud boom.

“HARLEY!” He shouted inmates however came pouring into the room.

He heard the sound of the wings flapping outside. Manbat quickly grabbed her and took off in flight. Nightwing fought off the inmates with desperation. Harley struggled in Manbat’s hold as he flew throughout Gotham. His claws dug into her shoulders the more she fought to break free. Harley took in a deep breath. She knew this was going to hurt like hell. She fired her grabble right through Manbat’s wings. Sure enough they began to fall. Still he tried to flap to stay in the air. She hissed out as his claws dug even deeper into her now. She had her grabble come sailing back to her. Harley then fired again.

“You know there’s only room for one batbrain in Gotham and that’s not you.” She vaults around preparing for a very rough landing.

With haste she fire her grabble just before she plummets to the ground along with Manbat. Her entire body got jarred around and knocked into a floodlight. She brought herself down ignoring the pain. Harley rushed over and grabbed Manbat by the long dreads of his hair. She dragged him into an alleyway. Harley shoved him back.

“Now I’m going to guess that you’re working for the Riddler?”

He doesn’t answer. Manbat’s body had taken quite a beating on the way down.
“I’d watch it you see I don’t have my two consciences here to tell me right from wrong. Sometimes I’m a very bad girl and forget. What can I say it just leaves my mind! I’m such a klutz!”

She punches him in the gut.

“Where is Riddler?!”

Manbat starts laughing.

“You’re being a very, very bad BAT! Now I want you to answer my question or I’ll have to give you such a pinch and ruin your upcoming weekend!” She sends a few punches across his face and gut.

“WHERE?!”

Bella turns as a black limo pulls up and stops just before the alley.

“Looks like I’m gonna get a whoopin…”
The green in her eyes flickers as she snaps Manbat’s neck. She drags him along with her. Harley taps on the back tinted window of the limo.
“Did ya loose something?”

She slams Manbat’s face into the window.

“LOOK FAMILIAR?!” She shouts.

The window rolls down. Harley freezes.

“Do I sweets?!”

Harley was thrown off her game completely. She froze. She felt someone else’s presence directly behind her.

“Perhaps it’s time for another session?”

She momentarily shut her eyes to the chilling voice.

“You see we want to play a little game…”

“You always liked games remember Harley? Hahahahahaaaaaaaaaaa! Oh such the good times we had!”

Harley swiftly turns around and grabs Riddler by the collar she shoves him up against the Iimo.

“Now, now I wouldn’t do that…” He chuckles and fixes his bowling hat with his question mark cane.

“You see I could very well expose you. With one push of a button. The truth behind Gotham’s newest vigilante goes viral. Just how do you think they will handle it once they find out, their precious Harley is nothing more than a fraud. She’s just some small town girl that lost her mind one day. That Harley Quinn is actually Isabella Marie Swan case number 532 from Seattle asylum. And that she’s responsible for the death of their three beloved heroes? Harley aka Isabella murdered the Bat his beloved cat and boy wonder in cold blooded MURDER! Each of their lives hang in the balance as we speak. Not only will that, but the murder of your own parents and best friend spread as well.”

Harley’s entire world now spun around uncontrollably. She swallowed back. A wave of nausea hit.

“What do you want?”

“Come with me and I’ll get you set up.”
“Set up?”

He smiles.

“Well yes Ms. Swan you will be needing your sessions all over again. We’ve to start from a clean slate! I for one can’t wait… It’s been quite a long time. Oh and thank you by the way…” Riddler says as he pulls away from her hold. He checks on Manbat.

“Took care of my light work.” Riddler says as Manbat was now dead.

He opens the door to the limo.

“Go on now we’ve been waiting for you!”

Harley slides on in. Riddler slides in across from them.

“Hit it boys! HAHA!”

Nightwing’s first to wake. His eyes bat a bit and his head was pounding. He squint his eyes as the bright light cascaded about the room they were in. He looked to see Batman and Catwoman directly in front of him in separate cells. They’d all be set up. He lowered his head knowing they’d gotten Harley. He also knew they were using the three of them as bait. This was the only way to get her to do whatever they wanted. Each of them was in cells of Arkham. Joker’s men and a few other inmates kept watch. Most of the guards were either dead, tied up or currently being tortured. Nightwing could hear the screams throughout the asylum of their torture.

They’d been tricked into a room with sleeping gas. Batman was the only one that had a mask for such events. However, none of it mattered with Nightwing and Catwoman out cold they were seriously outnumbered.

“Dammit!” Nightwing punched at the bars of the cell trying to think of how to escape.

The henchmen looked his direction. He rolled his eyes and paced the area. He turned hearing Catwoman and Batman coming to. Batman sighs as he takes notice of the predicament now as well.
“You know what they’ll do to her!” Nightwing snaps and grips the bars firmly.

“We can’t let her go through this again! WE JUST CAN’T! Think of what it’ll do to her! We have to find a way out! NOW!”

The three of them look around. Each of them had their weapons taken away. So they had nothing to work with. Nightwing gritted his teeth and continued to pace. He wildly ran his hands through his hair.

“Not again… no.”

He takes the cot that’s in the cell and throws it across the area. The henchmen aim their guns at him. Nightwing growls under his breath.

“You need to calm down…” Batman utters.

“No… no that’s not happening until I get the fuck out of here and get to my WIFE!”

“She wasn’t there!”
“What do you mean she wasn’t there?!”

“All that’s in the cells is the Bat and those two other ones.”
“What other ones?”

The guy shrugs. Travis sighs.

“Show me, but each of you keep it together! We have to play the part right. Do you want Joker smacking our girl around again?! It’ll go back to the way things used to be! Only this time she could end up really dead!?”

“I thought she said that Joker was dead! Why would she lie to us?!”

Travis shakes his head.

“I don’t know… But think about it like this. Which would you rather stand behind Joker or Harley?”

Each of Harley’s henchmen looks to one another and nod in silent agreement.

“Exactly, now let’s find a way to get our Harley back!”

Harley’s men had changed back into Joker’s colors to blend in with the other henchmen. They did their best not to break Harley’s rules, instead of killing the guards or other inmates they were knocking them out. They only took lives for mere survival.

Travis followed the others. They lead him into the room where Batman and the other two were. He looked towards Nightwing and Catwoman in recognition.
“Those are her friends…” Nightwing heard the man whisper to the other men as they passed on by.

He noticed they looked to be talking to one another in hushed whispers. The main guy looked around the area. When the other henchmen weren’t looking he began motioning towards other areas of the room. Nightwing curiously watched as the men took their post. The urge to smile came about. He knew automatically who these men were. They started to cancel out the other henchmen stealth style. They’d merely blend in and snap their necks or would discreetly knock them out. They’d continue about as if nothing happened.

“Hey what the fuck?!” One of Joker’s men said finally taking notice of the other men lying about the area.

Nightwing fought the urge to laugh. These were his girl’s men. They were taking them out Batman style only something Nightwing and Harley would know. Meaning she must’ve taught them. Travis walked right up to the one that was suspicious. He grabbed him and put his gun to his back.

“Release the hostages at once!”

“Dude who the hell?! You’d fucking betray Joker?!”

He dug the gun deeper into his back.

“Joker betrayed us a long time ago. You honestly think he ever gave a damn about any of us?! NOW RELEASE THEM AND TELL US WHERE THE FUCK OUR GIRL IS!”

NIGHTWING GOT A HUGE GRIN TO HIS FACE. He took in a small breath of relief as Travis forced the man over. He took out his keys and began to unlock the cells.

“I’d kiss you if my man wasn’t here right now.” Catwoman says.

Batman cuts her a look.
“Hey in all honesty I kind of want to kiss you too.” Nightwing adds to that.

Batman shakes his head as Travis looks to Nightwing disgusted.

“Um I don’t swing that way bro.”

Nightwing raises his brows underneath that domino mask of his.

“Sure ya don’t!” He pats him on the back.

“Living in denial…” Nightwing mouths quietly as they begin to make their way out of the asylum with Harley’s men.

Harley laughs as she plops down on the couch.

“So comfy Dr. Woodlarf just like old times!”

The Riddler smiles.

“I’m glad you think so.”

She shakes her head seeing the room he’d set up looked exactly like the one, they had their sessions in. The Riddler comes up behind her and stabs a syringe into her neck. She gasps out. Whatever it was, it was working fast. Her head bobbed about. She put her hand to her neck. Harley felt herself being strapped in.

“Let the games begin…” She heard him whisper in her ear.

Harley’s vision grew blurry. She lifted her head and saw Joker standing before her. He aimed a gun right at her. The gun sounded and Harley screamed out.

“HAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAA! I got you now HARLEY! You should have known no one EVER upstages Joker! NOOOOOOOOOOOO ONE!”

Her eyes start to bat.

He makes his way over. Joker’s eyes were blood red. His face seemed different somehow. She narrowed her eyes as she fought to stay awake.